Sporting Alumni Stories Captured in New Podcast Series

A podcast series featuring sporting alumni, produced by University of the West of Scotland (UWS) journalism/ journalism (sports) students, has been released.

The Top of the Scots podcast series delves into the world of sport with episodes from some of the university’s most talented former students, highlighting their incredible sporting successes across an array of sports.

The series came about as part of a module in the BA journalism/journalism (sports) degree programme at UWS, and features student interviews with an Olympian, Paralympians, Commonwealth athletes, Coaches and a Scottish Cup winner.

“I wanted to combine the knowledge of former students and their incredible graduate journeys with those in my current class about to set out on their own, to help them think there is a world beyond just the Old Firm when it comes to Scottish sport,” said Dr James Mahon, journalism/sports journalism lecturer.

“They have learned through theory and practice in this module and have something proud and tangible to show prospective employers.”

Kicking the series off is an interview with Bellshill native and triple Olympian Kirsty Gilmour who has represented both Scotland and Great Britain in Badminton. UWS student Callum Lindsay learns about what it takes to deliver at the highest level in her sport and hears how her time at UWS helped her develop as an athlete.

Since 2016, Kirsty has won six silver and two bronze medals in European competition. She also won Commonwealth silver at Glasgow 2014, Commonwealth bronze in 2018, and represented Team GB three times at Rio, Tokyo and Paris.

Talking about the podcast series, Callum commented: “For me this was about communication and taking ownership of my episodes while helping the others with their recordings, we all want to tell the stories of those who have gone before and do them justice.”

Working with the University’s Fundraising and Alumni team, students researched the alumni, liaised and interviewed seven former students in person, online via zoom, even crossing time zones to speak to one alumnus in the US.

Other alumni interviewed as part of the series included: Captain of Scotland’s men’s Cerebral Palsy Football team Matthew Wynne; Commonwealth Games and now professional boxer Stephen Newns Jnr; Scottish Cup winner and former professional football player David Winnie; Professional Scottish para table tennis player Martin Perry; Head Basketball Coach in the US Neil Harrow; Boccia player and Gold Medal Paralympian Stephen McGuire MBE; and WWE Wrestler and WWE referee Thomas Kearins.